DEA Drug Take Back Day next week

The next DEA national Drug Take Back Day is scheduled for October 28th but the Hoquiam Police Department is reminding you that they take medications back all the time.

Drug Take Back Day is when local communities and law enforcement agencies across the country set up free drug take-back collection sites.

However, the Hoquiam Police Department has a free 24/7 drug take back box in the lobby of the police station for use all the time.

Hoquiam Police tells KXRO that you don’t have to worry about a specific day to safely dispose of those unused or unwanted medications; all you have to do is stop by their station lobby, day or night, and drop them in the collection box.

It is a large white box which looks like a postal mail box and you can just walk up and dump in your medication.

Everything inside the box is then collected in large bags and then incinerated at a DOE approved facility in Oregon.

They say the cost for this program is covered by the department because they believe it is the right thing to do.

Although they don’t have to worry about only collecting medications on the DEA take back days, they do appreciate the ability to send back collected medications for destruction right after these national programs.

They say DEA covers the cost of shipping and incineration, so it does help off-set their ongoing program costs.

Hoquiam Police say unwanted and unused medications left in the home are one of the first places drug abuse starts.

The drug drop box is available for use by all citizens; you do not have to be a resident of Hoquiam.

Since they installed their drug take back box in October 2014, the Hoquiam Police Department has collected and safely disposed of over 3,000 pounds of medications.

The Montesano Police Department also has a drug drop box that is available year round.